Monday, 26 March 2012

The latest issue of the birdwatching magazine Ardeola (vol. 58-2, December 2011) contains the Spanish Rarity Committee's findings for 2009. Only six of the 291 accepted records correspond to Extremadura (two of these dating from 2008). Most are based on photos so we can use these to illustrate said records.

Possible hybrids of Western Reef Heron x Little Egret (Egretta gularis x garzetta). Three different birds were seen in Extremadura. The identification of these birds is debatable since it's not certain whether they are in fact hybrids or melanistic Little Egrets. Up to 2009 there had been 53 records of 65 birds accepted by the rarity committee in Spain as assumed hybrids (plus 35 pure Reef Herons), five of them in Extremadura (plus two pure birds).

Charca de Los Gañanes, Guijo de Coria (Cáceres), 18.07.09 and the same bird again at Portaje Reservoir (Cáceres) on 07.08.09 and 12.09.09 (Sergio Mayordomo, César Clemente and Javier Mahíllo). This is possibly the same bird that was seen in 2008 in Coria and in Guijo de Coria (Ardeola, 57: 491).

Rüppell's Vulture (Gyps rueppellii). Two birds seen in Extremadura, to be added to three previously accepted records (1992, 2000 and 2004). The sum for the whole of Spain is now 43 records involving 58 birds.

San Vicente de Alcántara (Badajoz). In Sierra de San Pedro, an adult with typical plumage features of the western African population on 10.01.09 (José Gordillo).

Sociable Lapwing (Vanellus gregarius). Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz), 03.11.09 (José María Salazar Alonso and M. Rial). This is the only record accepted without photographs. It is the second accepted record for Extremadura; the first was in Mirandilla (Badajoz) from 19.02.04 to 04.03.04 (F. Prieto, J. Ledo and J. M. Benítez). Up to 2009 42 records had been accepted in Spain.

The records rejected by the Committee involved no Extremadura bird. Nonetheless, we do know of other rarities seen in 2009. On 28.02.09, Manuel Pérez González saw at Portaje Reservoir the same Marabou Stork (Leptotilos crumeniferus) seen in October and November 2008 in Plasencia and Acehúche (Cáceres), respectively (photo above taken in 2008 in Acehúche by Andrés Rodríguez). Also in 2009 a possible Western Reef hybrid was seen in Portugal near the Badajoz border on 12.05.09 and on 13.07.09, Caia Reservoir (the nearest colony is in Badajoz city), and a pure Western Reef Heron on 02.10.09 flying in the direction of the Badajoz heron roost (Luis Venancio). Last but not least, an assumed Black-crowned Tchagra (Tchagra senegalus) was seen at Arroyo Guadalefra, Orellana la Vieja (Badajoz) on 14.05.09 by Stefaan Horemans (source: Rare Birds in Spain). If accepted this would be a first for Extremadura but it doesn't even seem to have been submitted.

Tuesday, 20 March 2012

Possible Iberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus ibericus). Monfragüe, Cáceres, 29.09.2004 (by Javier Prieta). Some features and the date itself suggest this species though the field identification is not certain.

It just so happens that yesterday, 19 March 2012, the first Iberian Chiffchaff was recorded in Extremadura. Recently I was also approached about a future book on this species. So it now seems a good time to take stock of its Extremadura status ...

Iberian Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus ibericus) was hived off of as a separate species from Chiffchaff (Phylloscopus collybita) in 1996. The first certain Extremadura record of the brand new species then came in Plasencia (Cáceres) in April 1997, most likely a passage bird (Javier Prieta). The first probable breeding of the species was recorded in Piornal, Valle del Jerte, Cáceres, where a pair held territory in a mixed Scots Pine / Sweet Chestnut copse in 2001 and 2002 (J. Prieta). Also in May 2001 another male was heard singing in Torremenga, La Vera, Cáceres (Jesús Calle). In 2002 a small breeding population was found in Sierra de Tentudía, Badajoz (Javier Salcedo), after which there were more one-off observations of males singing in May and June in Toril (J. Prieta), Puerto de Miravete (Godfried Schreur) and La Garganta (Ricardo Montero), all in the province of Cáceres. The known breeding population, therefore, is restricted to asmall nucleus in the Sierra Morena of Badajoz (Monesterio, Calera de León and Cabeza la Vaca) and isolated cases of singing males in May and June on the Cáceres side of the Gredos mountain range and in Monfragüe, without apparently forming stable populations. The Badajoz breeders, part of a population that spreads further south into northern Huelva, occupy mainly mixed pine populations and riparian copses (J. Salcedo). In view of their scarcity, however, and the difficulty of identifying them in the field (except by voice), a more widespread breeding population in Extremadura can by no means be ruled out.

In general, there is little information on Iberian Chiffchaff in Extremadura. By now a total of 142 birds has been recorded (Prieta et al., 2000; Prieta 2002 and 2007; Prieta and Mayordomo, 2011; monthly summaries of this blog); the pattern of these observations is plotted in the above graph. Breeding birds are shown in red while those recorded outside the breeding areas, assumed to be migrants, are plotted in blue. These show a bimodal pattern, with spring passage in March and April, almost always males singing, and return passage in August-October, on the basis of field identification, calls and some residual song. Some years, however, calls attributed to Iberian Chiffchaff are head until mid November (Sergio Mayordomo). The breeding areas, basically Tentudía, are occupied from March to September, numbers peaking in April, probably due to topping up by migrants (as also occurs in northern Huelva; Rafael Romero, pers. comm.). The much higher spring peaks shown in the graph are probably at least partly due to the greater likelihood of song-based detection in spring than in autumn.

Thursday, 15 March 2012

About one year ago, in spring 2011, we reported the sighting of a new species for Extremadura, if accepted: Great Snipe (Gallinago media) [see here]. This was a fleeting observation, still pending acceptance, of three birds in Madrigalejo (Cáceres). We can now report another longer and more trustworthy sighting by Francisco Montaño, Joaquín Vázquez Muñoz and José Antonio Delgado on 12 March 2012 in Los Canchales Reservoir (Badajoz).

The bird was seen well for nearly an hour-and-a-half at a distance of about 150 m and with excellent visibility. The observers were able to appreciate the subtle plumage differences that distinguish it from its commoner cousin, the Snipe (Gallinago gallinago): wide white outer tail feathers, long and wide wings with a clear wing stripe, darker hue and speckled belly. The bird remained still and in full view accompanied by Snipes, clearly showing its bulkier size and relatively shorter beak. It even spread its wings to show the darker underside.

EARLY SUMMER VISITORS- Black Stork: on 03/02 one bird seen at Alcuéscar (Cáceres) (José Luis Rivero) and another at Salto del Gitano, Monfragüe (Cáceres) (R. Montero). On 5/02 three birds at River Bodión, Valverde de Burguillos (Badajoz) (Antonio Núñez), and two at River Cáparra, Guijo de Granadilla (Cáceres) (J. Julián and Iván Solana). At Montijo reservoir (Badajoz), on 12/02, one immature bird ringed in the Czech Republic (P. Herrador and J. L. Bautista).- Short-Toed Eagle: one bird at Mérida (Badajoz) on 02/02 (Francisco Lopo), at Los Santos de Maimona (Badajoz) on 25/02 (Elvira del Viejo) and at Alburquerque (Badajoz) on 26/02 (Schreur family).- Black Kite: one bird at Valdesalor, Cáceres, on 22/02 (Manolo Iglesias), at Monfragüe (Cáceres) on 24/02 (M. Kelsey) and at Galisteo (Cáceres) on 25/02 (S. Mayordomo and J. C. Paniagua).- Egyptian Vulture: two adults at Torrejoncillo (Cáceres) on 06/02 (A. Pacheco). One adult at Santa Amalia (Badajoz) on 11/02 (S. Mayordomo, F. Yuste, E. Palacios and C. Clemente). One adult at Salto del Gitano, Monfragüe (Cáceres), on 13/02 (Chema Diu).- Montagu's Harrier: one pair at Brozas (Cáceres) on 16/02 (Helios Dalmau) and one bird at Torremejía (Badajoz) on 17/02 (Juan Pablo Prieto and Fergus Crystal).- Lesser Kestrel: at Trujillo (Cáceres): two birds on 17/02 (Godfried Schreur) and five on 18/02 (M. Kelsey and Ángel Sánchez). One 2nd-year male at Guijo de Coria (Cáceres) on 18/02 (S. Mayordomo). One pair at Badajoz on 20/02 (J. C. Paniagua) and at Plasencia (Cáceres) on 22/02 (J. Prieta).- Sand Martin: One bird at Malpartida de Plasencia (Cáceres), on 21/02 (S. Mayordomo and J. Prieta); at Casatejada (Cáceres) on 24/02 (S. Mayordomo); and at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 26/02 (M. Llorente and Á. Díaz), with several in the same place on 27/02 (R. Montero).- Sedge Warbler: one bird at Arrocampo (Cáceres) on 29/02 (G. Schreur).

An ambitious SEO/BirdLife bird migration project kicked off in 2011, its remit including satellite tracking. One of the star species is Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus). The movements of six tracked birds can now be followed live on internet (click here). Two of these birds, forming part of a project being run by Junta de Extremadura, were the first to begin their autumn migration and reach their African destinations in 2011. The return spring migration is now underway, so it's the perfect time to report the movements to date of both Extremadura eagles.

Booted Eagle (Hieraaetus pennatus). Luna, female, on the left, and Valiente, a male, are the two Extremadura-nesting satellite-tracked birds (photos: SEO/BirdLife).

Luna is an adult female Booted Eagle nesting in Alburquerque (Badajoz). On 03.08.2011 it was fitted with a satellite transmitter to keep track of its movements thereafter. On the project website it wears the number 5. After the transmitter was fitted, it remained in its territory until setting out on its migration odyssey on 07.09.2011. On 10 September it crossed the Strait of Gibraltar and two days later reached the dreaded Sahara. There it picked up pace, putting in its two longest daily stages: 370 on 12 September and 403 km on 17 September. At last, on 19.09.2011, after a 12-day trip it reached its wintering quarters in the Sahel, over 2500 km from its nest (an average of 204 km a day). Since then, and at least until 01.03.2012, it pretty much stayed put, spending over five months in an area straddling Mauritania and Mali.

Valiente, wearing number 6, is an adult male Booted Eagle nesting in La Roca de la Sierra (Badajoz). It was also fitted with its transmitter on 03.08.2011 and then set out on its long journey to Africa a little later than Luna, on 13.09.2011. Like Luna it reached the Straits in three days but then needed 15 to reach the Sahel on 02.10.2011. Its pace was a bit slower (18 days, averaging 151 km a day), putting in its longest stage of 301 km on 23.09.2011. At first it settled down in Mali, 2700 km from home, but then moved southwards, first to Niger (15 October) and then to Nigeria (16 November), 3500 km from home, where it remained on 01.03.2012. Of the six Booted Eagles tracked, only one other bird wintered in two different spots, in this case reaching Sierra Leona, 3530 km from its nest. Both made the longest trips, while the other four have spent five months in the same zones.

Lastly, the third Eagle tracked, not featuring on the project website, was an adult female called Brava, from the Los Hornos Wildlife Refuge Centre (Sierra de Fuentes, Cáceres). The bird was released at Los Canchales Reservoir on 24.09.2011. It instantly flew southwards. Once at the straits it struck off over the sea but seems to have foundered somehow about 30 km northeast of Ceuta, transmitter signals ceasing on 06.10.2011.

Thursday, 1 March 2012

Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus). One of the birds, a subadult, overwintering in Cáceres. December 2008. By Miguel Ángel Muńoz "Memole".

The Egyptian Vulture (Neophron percnopterus) is a summer visitor to mainland Spain, though there are resident populations in the Canary and Balearic archipelagos. In Doñana, however, a small overwintering population of 20-30 birds built up in the late twentieth century, than falling away to only four birds in 2009 and 2010 (EBD/CSIC). Although there have been one-off records of wintering Egyptian Vultures in Extremadura since 1990, it is only recently that a small wintering population has been found in the centre-west of Cáceres Province.

Complete overwintering was not confirmed until 2008/2009. Further research then unearthed regular wintering records in the zone since at least 2001 and maybe even as far back as the eighties of last century. The birds show plumage of all ages, ranging from juvenile to adult, though no proportion has been established between them.

The enclosed graph shows the peak figures of wintering Egyptian Vulture sightings since 2006, ranging from 7 to 24. Apparently, the wintering of Egyptian Vultures in this area is linked to the farming practice of dumping livestock offal. At the end of 2011, the environmental section of Spain's Guardia Civil, Seprona, banned this practice. Since then the offal has been dumped in containers, with serious knock-on effects for the Egyptian Vultures, their numbers falling sharply thereafter. Since 2006, wintering Egyptian Vultures have been seen at least in the following municipalities of the centre-west of Cáceres: Brozas, Alcántara, Acehúche, Portezuelo, Torrejoncillo, Portaje, Pescueza, Cachorrilla, Coria, Calzadilla, Casas de Millán, Mirabel and Serradilla. There were also three more sightings in the Llanos de Cáceres-Trujillo (Aldea del Cano, Belén-Trujillo and Monroy) and one in the north of Badajoz Province(La Roca de la Sierra).

The graph was drawn up from the valuable information furnished by Andrés Rodríguez, Miguel Ángel Muńoz, Iván Solana and Antonio Justiniano Julián.